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8 Best Hearing Aids
Quick look at the best hearing aids
You have many options for hearing aids, from rechargeable and live music-enhancing hearing aids to nearly invisible models and those with your favorite color.
We explain the main features of hearing aids and how an audiologist can guide you to the right pair for your needs. Plus, we share our picks for prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids offering the best quality for the price.
Hearing aid prices can vary significantly from retailer to retailer and among OTC products — priced between a few hundred to a few thousand dollars — and prescription devices, which start around $2,000 and can cost up to $6,000 a pair.
Sometimes hearing aids are bundled with additional services, such as follow-up visits and hearing aid maintenance.
Prices are estimated as follows:
Healthline’s picks for best hearing aids
Best prescription hearing aid
These behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids are for people with mild to moderately severe hearing loss. A hearing care professional, such as an audiologist, will work with you to determine which model and performance level is best for you.
These hearing aids are powerful enough to produce clear, crisp sounds in noisy environments. This translates into less listening effort during conversations and during events like lectures and plays.
They’re Bluetooth compatible with iOS and Android. You can use them for hands-free calling and for streaming media.
They’re rechargeable and will hold a charge for 24 hours, even if you use them for streaming.
The How does this test compare to other diagnostic tools? id=com.sonova.phonak.dsapp&hl=en_US%E2%89%B7=US">myPhonak app lets you adjust and fine-tune your hearing aids remotely.
Best invisible hearing aid
The Phonak Lyric Hearing Aid is nearly invisible. A trained hearing care professional places the aid into your ear canal near your eardrum. The aid uses your ear’s natural shape and anatomy to localize sound.
You can leave these hearing aids in your ears for months at a time without seeing a hearing care professional for removal.
They’re not meant to be worn in water, so Lyric won’t be a great choice for swimmers.
They also provide relief from tinnitus. Price is based on an annual subscription.
Best battery life
This receiver-in-the-ear (RITE) hearing aid uses two hearing processors to provide what the manufacturer refers to as augmented sound. One processor focuses on sounds like conversations. The other focuses on sounds in your environment, including background noise. This lets you hear people’s voices clearly, even in noisy or windy locations.
It comes in a standard and a telecoil version. The telecoil version is for people who wish to connect directly to public audio loop systems, like those found in airports and stadiums.
It has a mini charger that provides 36 hours of use on a single charge, with 5 hours of streaming.
People with any hearing loss level, from mild to profound, can use this hearing aid.
You can use the Signia app to connect with a hearing care professional or to make adjustments manually. Most iOS and Android phones are compatible with the app. The aids are available in 10 colors.
Best for severe to profound hearing loss
These behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids are designed to isolate sound and focus on the person in front of you to differentiate between speech and background noise. They’re powered by disposable batteries that you change manually. after 8 hours of not smoking
They’re available in two power levels: super or ultra power. Both are designed for severe to profound hearing loss. A hearing care professional can help you determine which power level is best for you.
They use a technology that the manufacturer calls BrainHearing to repeatedly scan your environment, providing speech clarity and reduced listening effort. They can eliminate feedback noise caused by close proximity to the speaker, such as whistling and static.
The aids also have Bluetooth technology and direct streaming capability. They’re available in seven colors.
Best hearing aid for tinnitus
Tinnitus often results from hearing loss. Oticon More uses BrainHearing Technology, a proprietary hearing technology, to deliver 30% more sound to the brain.
These hearing aids come with the Oticon Companion app, which is available for iOS and Android devices. It uses masking relief sounds that reduce your brain’s perception of tinnitus sounds. There’s a library of sounds to choose from, including white noise and ocean sounds.
Oticon More hearing aids have a chip embedded in each device that has been trained on 12 million real-life sounds. According to the manufacturer, this supports your brain to make better sense of the sounds coming into your ears. The result is less listening effort and enhanced speech understanding.
A variety of hearing programs includes MyMusic, which provides rich, crystal-clear sound when you’re listening to live music or streaming music from your device.
Best for one sided hearing loss
These hearing aids eliminate the wait time typically required for custom-made hearing aids. They come with silicone click sleeves that click onto the hearing aids, providing a secure, custom-like fit.
They’re Bluetooth compatible and can be used to make phone calls and stream media.
Telecare remote support with a hearing care professional is available through the Signia app. You can also use the app to control your settings and volume. Settings can also be adjusted through a mini device you attach to your key ring.
If you have one sided hearing loss, you can use these hearing aids with a CROS Silk X accessory.
Signia hearing aids come with tinnitus-relieving tools, including Notch Therapy. Notch Therapy can identify and reduce your tinnitus frequency. Sound masking is also used.
Best over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aid
The Jabra Enhance 300 is a receiver-in-the-ear (RITE) hearing aid that prioritizes speech and reduced background noise to support hearing even in noisy environments. It also offers a music mode for improving the sound of live music.
It’s designed for mild to moderate hearing loss.
It’s available in five colors and comes with a charging case that provides 24-hour service on a full charge.
The Jabra Enhance requires a smartphone to control and customize your hearing aid settings. This function also allows hands-free calling.
Jabra offers a 100-day trial period, a 1-year warranty, and customer care and technical support 7 days a week. You can extend your coverage to 3 years by purchasing a premium care and protection package.
If you go with the premium package, you’ll get unlimited access to an audiologist via Zoom. You can request the same audiologist for every appointment if you choose.
Most comfortable OTC hearing aid
If your hearing aids aren’t comfortable, you probably won’t wear them. Since they’re self-fitting, the Lexie B1 overrides that potential issue. They come with an ear measuring tool and comes in multiple sizes, so you can give yourself a professional-level hearing aid fitting at home.
They’re also self-tuning. You can amplify quiet sounds to better hear conversations in noisy rooms, plus adjust treble and bass for crispness and tone.
You can also use the Lexie app to store multiple hearing environment settings, like watching TV, parks, and restaurants.
The Lexie B1 uses disposable 312 zinc-air batteries. If you prefer a rechargeable hearing aid option, the Lexie B2 is also available at a slightly higher price.
Here are common acronyms for the five style types of hearing aids:
Hearing aids compared
Rx=prescription, OTC=over the counter
Hearing aids: Key factors
Numerous factors influence which hearing aids best suit your needs. Here are a few important ones to keep in mind.
The American Academy of Audiology stresses the need for consumers to receive a comprehensive audiological assessment before buying hearing aids. This assessment also helps determine whether underlying factors, such as taking ototoxic medications or conditions like ear infections, may be causing your hearing loss.
“Degree of hearing loss, type of hearing loss, and configuration of hearing loss all contribute to a final hearing care plan, including the recommendation of devices if appropriate.”
— Catherine Palmer, PhD, director of audiology at the University of Pittsburg Medical Center
Prescription hearing aids include customization for your particular hearing needs and ear shape and ongoing care from a hearing specialist. This ensures regular assessments of your hearing and adjustments to your hearing aids as needed. noble surnames
Prescription hearing aids can also cost thousands of dollars. Original Medicare and many other health insurance plans don’t cover the cost of hearing aids. Plans that do provide coverage often have high copays or high deductibles. Some flexible spending account (FSA) and health savings account (HSA) plans can help cover costs.
OTC hearing aids are designed for mild to moderate hearing loss, and they don’t come with in-person, ongoing care. However, they’re typically less expensive than prescription hearing aids, which can be a big plus.
There are online hearing tests available to help guide your choice of OTC hearing aids, although they’re not as accurate or comprehensive as what you’d receive in person with a hearing specialist.
“What matters is how the hearing aids are programmed for the individual. There are some differences between levels of technology and manufacturers for specific signal processing and features. The audiologist keeps up with all of this — it changes all the time — and makes sure they are selecting the right combination of features and signal processing and tuning them correctly for the individual.”
— Catherine Palmer, PhD, director of audiology at the University of Pittsburg Medical Center
There are also rechargeable hearing aids and those running on disposable batteries. Your ability to handle small batteries and other hearing aid components will matter in this regard.
If you have arthritis that affects your hands, the Arthritis Foundation provides an ease-of-use product list that includes disposable hearing aid batteries with easy-to-handle tabs.
Different hearing aids also have different enhancements and options, such as:
At the end of the day, using your hearing aids once you get them is what matters most — even when it means going through an adjustment period.
“Hearing aids need to be worn full time, all waking hours, to provide maximum benefit. It takes about 3 weeks of full-time use for the brain to adjust to hearing aids. The individual cannot adapt to the sounds if they are not exposed to them, so full-time use is essential.”
— Catherine Palmer, PhD, director of audiology at the University of Pittsburg Medical Center
How we chose the best hearing aids
We chose the best hearing aids based on several factors:
We also looked at a wide range of features that are important to consumers, including:
Read more about how we vet brands and products.
What to consider before buying hearing aids
Your first step when beginning your hearing aid exploration should be to speak with an auditory specialist who can assess your situation.
“Each person has a unique hearing loss and unique ear canal characteristics,” Catherine Palmer, PhD, director of audiology at the University of Pittsburg Medical Center, told Healthline.
She recommends finding someone who works with all the major hearing aid manufacturers to help find the right technology for your needs.
Other factors to keep in mind when considering hearing aids include:
Learn more about what to look for and how to shop for hearing aids.
Older research published by the American Auditory Society found that younger people tend to overestimate their level of hearing loss, while older people tend to underestimate it. hindi last name history Getting the wrong hearing aids can lead to frustration and increased isolation levels.
Hearing aids are sophisticated technological equipment. According to the manufacturer’s instructions, they must be cleaned regularly. Many hearing aids come with wax guards designed for this purpose.
To prolong the life of your hearing aids and avoid damage, follow these additional tips:
Frequently asked questions
There are many reputable, high quality hearing aid companies. They include Phonak, Oticon, ReSound, Starkey, Widex, Jabra, Miracle Ear, and Signia, among others. There are others, and this isn’t an exhaustive list.
“All of the hearing aid manufacturers make excellent products,”said Catherine Palmer, PhD, director of audiology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
She recommends going to an audiologist who works with all major brands to ensure you get the right match for your needs.
Additionally, when considering hearing aid brands, you might also consider things like available support, warranty, and insurance options that protect you from loss or damage to your hearing aids.
Ease of use is determined by many factors, including technological comfort, type of battery, and ability to quickly alter or change program settings.
Many people find that the Phonak Lyric is the easiest hearing aid to use since it’s inserted into the ear by a hearing care professional and left there for many months.
Others prefer a hands-on approach and the ability to fine-tune their hearing aids through an app or other devices.
There are many comparable hearing aids. For this roundup, we chose the Phonak Bolero Marvel because its sound quality is considered superior by many users.
Hearing aids can top $8,000 per pair. In some instances, the most expensive hearing aids may produce better sound with less noise or interference. They may also include special features or a smaller size.
But you can still get excellent, comparable sound quality from hearing aids that are much less expensive.
The cost of hearing aids varies widely, depending on whether they are OTC or prescription hearing aids. The best hearing aid will depend on your needs and budget.
For example, the Bose Lexie B1 is a slightly more affordable OTC hearing aid, costing under $1,000. This may suit people looking for a self-fitting option.
However, if you’re looking for more hands-on support, you may prefer a prescription option like Phonak Lyric or Phonak Bolero. You can expect to pay up to $6,000 for some prescription hearing aids.
Takeaway
About
in the United States have hearing loss and would benefit from wearing hearing aids.
Getting fitted for hearing aids to make sure they fit properly, are comfortable, and match your preferred style is important. But the price and cost of meeting with a professional may be outside of your budget at the moment.
In that case, OTC alternatives, while not specifically tailored to your needs, may be a more budget-friendly alternative.
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